Abstract:

The present invention is a handled container for retail products. The
handled container defines an upper opening wherein a first upper panel
and a second upper panel together cover a substantial portion of the
upper opening. The second upper panel is provided with a pair of
substantially parallel cuts extending across the second upper panel to
define a handle in the second upper panel. A first upper panel is shaped
such that it provides access to the handle when the first upper panel is
positioned above the second upper panel and both are in the closed
position to substantially seal the handled container.

Claims:

1. A handled container for products, comprising:a container having an
upper opening, the upper opening defining an upper edge;a first upper
panel, the first upper panel covering at least a portion of the upper
opening when in a closed position;a second upper panel, the second upper
panel covering at least a portion of the upper opening when in a closed
position, wherein the second upper panel comprises a pair of
substantially parallel cuts extending across the second upper panel,
wherein the pair of substantially parallel cuts define a handle; anda
third upper panel, the third upper panel covering at least a portion of
the upper opening when in a closed position, and located below the second
upper panel,wherein the first upper panel provides exterior access to the
handle when the first upper panel and the second upper panel are in a
closed position, the first upper panel further comprising a substantially
flat panel, the substantially flat panel having a portion defining a hole
for providing access to the handle when the first upper panel is in the
closed position, and the first, second, and third upper panels having
substantially a same width that is substantially perpendicular to the
pair of substantially parallel cuts.

2. (canceled)

3. The handled container of claim 2, wherein the third upper panel is
connected to the second upper panel.

4. The handled container of claim 1, wherein the first upper panel is
connected to the container along the upper edge.

5. The handled container of claim 1, wherein the second upper panel is
connected to the container along the upper edge.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising:a reinforcing member
affixed along a longitudinal axis of the handle.

7. The handled container of claim 1, further comprising a pair of side
flaps connected to opposing edges of the second upper panel.

8. The handled container of claim 1, wherein the hole for providing access
to the handle has a length that is less than a length of the pair of
substantially parallel cuts.

10. The handled container of claim 9 wherein the plurality of
substantially vertical walls and the substantially horizontal bottom form
a rectangular container having an upper opening that is rectangular in
shape.

11. A set of container panels for providing a handle comprising:a first
panel, wherein the first panel is provided with a pair of substantially
parallel cuts defining a handle; anda second panel located immediately
above the first panel, wherein the first panel and second panel are
substantially parallel, and wherein the second panel is shaped to cover a
portion of the first panel and at least one end portion of the handle
while simultaneously providing access to a central portion of the handle;
anda third panel located immediately below the first panel, wherein the
first, second, and third panels are substantially parallel and have
substantially a same width that is substantially perpendicular to the
pair of substantially parallel cuts, and wherein the third panel covers
at least a portion of the opening of the second panel when the handle is
pulled upward, andwherein the second panel comprises a substantially flat
panel, the substantially flat panel having a portion defining a hole for
providing access to the handle.

12. The panels of claim 11, wherein the hole for providing access to the
handle has a length that is less than a length of the pair of
substantially parallel cuts.

13. The panels of claim 12 wherein the third panel is permanently affixed
to the first panel.

14. The panels of claim 11, further comprising a reinforcing member
centrally positioned along the longitudinal axis of the handle.

15. The method of providing a handled container, the method
comprising:providing a container for a retail product, the container
having at least a first flap, a second flap, and a third flap for
covering an upper opening in the container when the container is
sealed.cutting a pair of substantially parallel lines in the first flap
to provide a handle;folding the third flap to cover a portion of the
upper opening in the container, the third flap positioned below the first
flap;folding the first flap to cover a portion of the upper opening in
the container;folding the second flap to cover a portion of the upper
opening in the container, the second flap positioned over the first flap;
andcutting a hole in the second flap to provide access to the handle of
the first flap,wherein the first, second, and third flaps have
substantially a same width that is perpendicular to the pair of
substantially parallel cuts.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]1. Field of the Invention

[0003]The present invention relates generally to retail product containers
having a handle for easy transport. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a retail product container that provides a handle
integrated into a product container.

[0004]2. Description Of The Related Art

[0005]Retail product containers are available in a variety of different
forms and can be manufactured using many different types of material. One
of the most common materials used for manufacture of product packaging is
cardboard, which is relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, by providing a
particular set of cuts and folds, the cardboard blank can be easily
assembled into a wide variety of configurations. Cardboard is a strong
and durable material, making it desirable for retail product containers,
which must endure the rigors of transport and retail sale. As a result,
cardboard is a commonplace material used in packaging of a wide variety
of different retail products.

[0006]Even though cardboard can be used to provide a retail product
container for a vast array of retail products, as the weight of the
product increases the consumer may have difficulty in carrying the
packaged product. Therefore, prior art solutions have been known to
provide one or more handles incorporated into retail product containers,
especially containers manufactured from cardboard. These handles make the
transport and carrying of the retail products much easier.

[0007]The simplest solution for providing a handle in a container is to
cut one or more holes or openings into the top or sides of a cardboard
container to provide handles. This allows a person to insert his or her
hands into the holes to hold, support, and carry the container. However,
this solution can be problematic, as it permits a person to touch or
contact the interior contents of the container. This subjects the product
to potential tampering. Furthermore, in many situations, the size or
configuration of the container may make positioning of one or more
handles impracticable, such as when a pair of cut-outs are spaced at
distances that do not allow a person to carry the container normally.

[0008]Other handle solutions involve the use of plastic handles that
either attach to the exterior of the box or are partially integrated into
the assembled box. The plastic handle connected to the exterior of the
box is one simple design known in the prior art. It entails providing a
plastic handle with its respective ends affixed or installed onto
opposing side walls of the retail product container. The plastic handle
extends upward, above the top of the box, allowing a consumer to carry
the container with little difficulty. Unfortunately, because the plastic
handle is pre-installed on the exterior of the retail product container,
it makes regular, box-shaped containers more difficult to stack onto one
another, as the plastic handle gets in the way. Therefore, it would be
desirable to provide a handle for a retail product container that does
not interfere with other containers or otherwise extend beyond the
ordinary dimensions of the container when stacked.

[0009]Other prior art solutions integrate simple or complex plastic handle
inserts or assemblies into the container walls or into one or more upper
flaps. For example, one simple solution is to provide a plastic strap
that is loosely provided on the upper surface of a first upper flap. A
second upper flap is provided with a hole so that when the second upper
flap is folded over onto the first upper flap, the hole provides access
to the plastic strap which may be used as a handle. Other configurations
utilize plastic handle assemblies integrated into the product packaging.
However, all of these configurations have the disadvantage of requiring a
complex, and costly, manufacturing process and incorporate multiple
materials, i.e. cardboard and plastic. It would be advantageous to
provide a handle solution for a cardboard container that does not require
the utilization of a plastic strap to act as a handle. Furthermore, it
would be advantageous to provide a handle configuration that is
tamper-resistant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010]The following description and the appended drawings set forth in
detail certain illustrative embodiments of the present invention. These
embodiments are only exemplars of some of the various ways in which the
principles of the present invention may be employed. Therefore, this
disclosure provides an outline, in rather broad terms, of the features of
the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows
may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to
the art may be better appreciated.

[0011]Embodiments of the present invention provide a handled container for
products wherein the container generally has an upper opening and at
least a first and second upper flap for closing the opening. The upper
opening defines an upper edge. A pair of substantially parallel cuts are
provided in at least one of the upper panels such that they extend across
a substantial portion of the panel to define a handle. Another upper
panel is used to cover the remaining portion of the upper opening and
provide access to the handle.

[0012]Other embodiments of the present invention may also include a third
upper panel provided below the handle. In any of the embodiments
contemplated the panels may be provided as connected to the container,
especially along the upper edge of the upper opening. Yet other
embodiments of the present invention may be provided with a reinforcing
member extending along the longitudinal axis of the handle and affixed
thereto. Other embodiments may provide one or more side flaps that are
inserted into the interior of the container. In yet other embodiments of
the present invention, one upper panel is provided with a cut-out hole to
provide access to the handle when in the closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]The preceding summary of the invention, and the following detailed
description of the drawings, are intended to provide a better
understanding of the general principals and concepts of the present
invention when viewed with reference to the preferred embodiments
depicted in the drawings. It is understood that the present invention is
not limited to the particular embodiments and precise arrangements
disclosed herein. Rather, the appended claims are intended to more
accurately describe the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the
drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed
upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention.
Finally, the drawings are provided with various reference numerals, with
like reference numerals designating corresponding parts throughout the
several views.

[0014]FIG. 1A illustrates a type of prior art packaging that provides a
handle by utilizing an externally installed plastic strap to serve as a
handle.

[0015]FIG. 1B illustrates a second type of prior art product container
that utilizes a plastic strap positioned between the pair of opposing top
flaps.

[0016]FIG. 2 depicts a cardboard blank for a product container according
to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 3 depicts a slight modification of the first top flap according
to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 5 depicts the upper portion of the product container of FIG. 4
with the first flap folded once onto itself.

[0020]FIG. 6 depicts the final step in providing a product container
according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021]The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in
the art to make and use the present invention. The general principles
described herein may be applied to numerous embodiments, including
applications other than those detailed below, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention is more
generally defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the present
invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is
to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and
features disclosed herein in view of the prior art.

[0022]Referring first to FIG. 1A, a prior art solution for providing a
handle for retail product containers is depicted. The prior art handled
container 100 is an ordinary cardboard container 102 provided with a
plastic handle 104. The plastic handle 104 in this embodiment is a
plastic strap, with the respective ends of the plastic strap affixed to
opposite side walls of the cardboard container 102. After the plastic
handle 104 is securely affixed, it can then be used to carry the
container 102. However, because the handle is located on the exterior of
the container 100, it prevents efficient stacking of the product and thus
takes up extra space in merchandising and transportation.

[0023]Referring now to FIG. 1B, a second prior art solution is depicted.
In this case, a container with an integrated handle 110 is depicted. The
cardboard container 102 is provided with a plastic handle insert 112 on
the first upper flap 118 of the corrugated cardboard box 102. The second
upper flap 116 of the corrugated cardboard box 102 is provided with a
hole 114, which allows access to the plastic handle insert 112. However,
like the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A, this embodiment requires the use
of an additional plastic component which can increase both the material
cost and the complexity for manufacturing the container 110.

[0024]Referring now to FIG. 2, an unassembled cardboard blank 200 is
depicted as would be utilized for one embodiment of the present
invention. The assembled container will be better illustrated with
respect to FIGS. 3-6. The solid lines of FIG. 2 indicate through-cuts of
the cardboard blank 200, while the dashed lines are locations where the
cardboard blank 200 is folded for assembly. The cardboard blank 200 has a
front panel 202, a first side panel 204, a back panel 206, and a second
side panel 208. Also, the front panel 202 is provided with a short tab
210 running the length of the front panel 202 for securing the front
panel 202 to the second side panel 208 at area 220. After assembly, the
four panels 202, 204, 206, 208 form a generally rectangular outer wall of
the cardboard container described below.

[0025]Each side panel is also provided with a bottom portion 212, 214,
216, and 218. A person having ordinary skill in the art would understand
that these bottom panels are folded inward during assembly to provide the
bottom of the cardboard container. In particular, cutout 213a engages
portion 217b and cutout 217a engages portion 213b to generally lock the
bottom panels 212, 214, 216 and 218 into position. A person having
ordinary skill in the art would recognize that numerous other
configurations could be utilized to provide a bottom for a cardboard
container according to the present invention, and the depicted
configuration is purely for illustrative purposes. It is also
contemplated that the present invention may be utilized with any shaped
container, including an irregularly shaped container, with an opening
that allows it to be covered with one or more upper panels, or flaps.

[0026]Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the aspects of the present
invention are best seen with respect to the first upper flap 230 and the
second upper flap 250. The first upper flap 230 is composed of several
individual folding panels 232, 236, and 238. In a preferred embodiment,
panel 232 is the bottom panel upon final assembly of the box. The cutouts
234 of panel 232 allow the handle to extend beyond the upper surface of
the box as will be better illustrated in later figures.

[0027]Panel 236 will be sandwiched, upon assembly, between panel 232 and
the second upper flap 250. In particular, panel 232 is folded back and
behind panel 236 along line 244. Panel 236 is also provided with two
parallel through-cuts 240 extending along the length of panel 236 to form
the handle 242. The two side panels 238 are folded back along lines 246,
and into the upper opening of the box, so as to be positioned immediately
adjacent and inside side panels 204 and 208. FIGS. 3 and 4 also
illustrate a reinforcing band 248 which may be affixed to the underside
of the handle 240 to provide additional strength to the corrugated
cardboard handle 242. Generally, the reinforcing band 248 is affixed into
position prior to assembly and can be manufactured from a variety of
strong, yet inexpensive materials.

[0028]Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the assembly of the top flaps of the
corrugated card board box is better illustrated. As can be seen, panel
232 has been folded down and around fold line 244 and terminates
approximately where the dashed lines run across panel 236. Side panels
238 have already been positioned inside the corrugated cardboard box and
rest against the side panels 204 and 208. It can also be seen that the
cutouts 234 of panel 232 are positioned to correspond with the handle 242
cut out of panel 236. This allows the handle 242 to be pulled up through
the hole 252 provided in the second upper flap 250.

[0029]The final configuration depicted in FIG. 6 illustrates the final
relationship between the various panels. In particular, the second upper
flap 250 generally covers panel 236 of the first upper flap 230. The hole
252 in the second upper flap 250 allows a person to access the handle
242. As can be seen, the rest of panel 236 prevents a person from
accessing the product through the hole 252. Furthermore, where the handle
242 was cut out of panel 236, panel 232 prevents a person from tampering
with the retail product contained within the container. The cutouts 234
of panel 232 prevent the handle 242 from extending more than a short
distance when pulled through the hole 252.